Linux takes long time while booting- enabling swap space

[warlock_oj]

While booting Linux it takes ages for 'enabling swap space'
I have allocated swap space twice that of the RAM.

Is there a way to fix it? What should I do to avoid this in the future
installs? pls
Cheers

[Rubberman]

1. How much swap space did you actually allocate?
2. Are you running 32-bit, or 64-bit linux?
3. Where is the swap space located? On its own partition/disc, or a regular file, or some combination?
4. Are you running more than one swap file or partition?
5. Which distribution+version of Linux are you running?

[warlock_oj]

1. 2 gigs of RAM, swap space 4 gigs (have even kept 2 gb swap on one machine).
2. 32-bit as well as 64-bit (3 servers 64-bit, 10 PCs 32-bit)
3. Swap space on main drive primary partition
4. only one partition for swap
5. RHEL 4.0

[devils casper]

What is the output of free command?

[warlock_oj]

Here is the 'free command' output :


total used free shared buffers cached
Mem: 3171000 1121956 2049044 0 92484 808488
-/+ buffers/cache: 220984 2950016
Swap: 4096524 0 4096524

[devils casper]

Post the contents of /etc/fstab file too.

[warlock_oj]

Here it is, /etc/fstab
__________________________________________________ _____
# This file is edited by fstab-sync - see 'man fstab-sync' for details
LABEL=/ / ext3 defaults 1 1
LABEL=/boot1 /boot ext3 defaults 1 2
LABEL=/cad /cad ext3 defaults 1 2
none /dev/pts devpts gid=5,mode=620 0 0
none /dev/shm tmpfs defaults 0 0
LABEL=/home /home ext3 defaults 1 2
none /proc proc defaults 0 0
LABEL=/shared /shared ext3 defaults 1 2
none /sys sysfs defaults 0 0
LABEL=/tarballs /tarballs ext3 defaults 1 2
LABEL=/tmp /tmp ext3 defaults 1 2
LABEL=/var /var ext3 defaults 1 2
LABEL=SWAP-sda3 swap swap defaults 0 0
LABEL=SWAP-sdb1 swap swap defaults 0 0

192.168.1.1:/home /home nfs rw 0 0
/dev/hdc /media/cdrecorder auto pamconsole,fscontext=system_u:object_r:removable_t ,exec,noauto,managed 0 0
/dev/hda /media/cdrom auto pamconsole,fscontext=system_u:object_r:removable_t ,exec,noauto,managed 0 0
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy auto pamconsole,fscontext=system_u:object_r:removable_t ,exec,noauto,managed 0 0
__________________________________________________ _____________

[Rubberman]

Well, it seems you are using 2 swap partitions instead of one. At least it appears that way from your fstab output. That may be related to your problem for this particular system, but you'd have to disable one of the partitions in order to test that hypothesis. Their size also may be a factor. Also, is the time a problem on the PCs, servers, or both?

[devils casper]

free command is listing only one SWAP partition but /etc/fstab has two entries for SWAP. As Rubberman suggested already, disable one SWAP in /etc/fstab and check if it works.

Put # sign before LABEL=SWAP-sdb1 in /etc/fstab file and reboot machine.

# LABEL=SWAP-sdb1 swap swap defaults 0 0

In case it doesn't work, disable other SWAP partition.

[warlock_oj]

Sorry guys, I gave it some time and realized that the systems halt for a minute just after 'enabling swap space' not on enabling swap space. I tried commenting out that line in fstab but all the same. Moreover, other machines only have one 'LABEL... .. ..'

Any Ideas?